You Hurt the Ones You Love
by springroll27
Summary: It is said by many, that you often hurt the ones you love... A once simple friendship turns into more... Please R/R!!!


**Disclaimer:** Yes, I own nothing… All original characters and other such Harry Potter paraphernalia belong the wonderful imagination of J.K. Rowling. (Though I _wish _it were mine! ...hehe!)

**A/N:** Well, this is my first attempt at a Ron/Hermione fic, so bare with me – it _may_ not turn out as great as I'd hoped… crosses fingers Please R/R!!! Thnx!

**Chapter One: THE BEGINNING**

Some people say that you can never love someone that you don't get along with. But that is not always true… Hermione Granger was sixteen now, and hadn't seen her friends since their last year at Hogwarts. Well, if you didn't include that one forlorn day that they had met in Diagon Alley, it had been quite a while. It was only a week into the summer holidays, and Hermione, Harry, and Ron had met in Diagon Alley, just for the fun of it. They had a wonderful time exploring the little shops, but the fun had pretty much ended, when they got to Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlor. Hermione had mentioned something about Draco Malfoy.

"I've seen him around, outside of school before. He doesn't seem that bad, really…" she had said, offhandedly. Harry and Ron were slightly taken aback.

"What?" Harry asked her in surprise.

Ron's jaw dropped. "Not that Bad!" he exclaimed. Hermione shrugged and continued to look at the many different flavors of ice cream. Minutes later, it turned into an immense argument in which Harry decided he didn't want to hear anymore, and Ron… Ron had gone too far. He had called Hermione a name, of which most witches and wizards shunned upon. The words that had escaped his mouth, in rage were unbelievable…

_"Maybe you are just a mudblood!"…_ Harry stood abruptly, and Hermione backed away from Ron as if he were a bomb about to explode. The tears splashed down Hermione's cheeks as her hand came to a forceful rest on Ron's face. She turned on her heel, and left Diagon Alley, oblivious to the stares that passers-by were giving her; Oblivious to Harry's yells for her to stop and come back; Oblivious to Ron's pleading cries and apologies. She ran all the way through the Leaky Cauldron, and down the crowed streets of London, until she had reached solitude in a nearby park… That was the last time she had seen her friends.

Nearly a month had passed now, and she was still in touch with Harry. He had told her that Ron was sorry for what he said, and the only reason he _had_ said it, was because he was having a hard time at home. And also that, when she had said those things about Malfoy, he thought he was losing her as a friend.

"He's just going through a rough patch, Mione. That's all…" he told her, as they had one of their first conversations on the muggle telephone.

"Yeah… I guess… But that still doesn't mean I've forgiven him!" she said. They talked for a while longer, and Harry had successfully convinced her to at least talk to Ron. Hermione sat in her room for hours, contemplating about how she would confront him. "Well, I guess I could always tell him to meet me back in Diagon Alley?" she mused aloud. When she'd finally agreed with herself, she called it a night and went to sleep.

The next morning she woke, feeling rested yet still exhausted. She wasn't entirely looking forward to meeting Ron, if he would, that is. She shuffled over to her desk, while wrapping her blanket tightly around her. It was always cold in her house, early in the morning. She pulled out a piece of parchment from her desk drawer and began to scribble down a brief note to Ron. She sent it away with the owl that had brought her the Daily Prophet that morning, and watched as it glided elegantly through the bright morning sky. She heaved a sigh of doubt, knowing full-well she was probably making a mistake, before turning away from the window and heading downstairs.

No sooner had she sent her letter to Ron, had she received a reply. She was sitting in her living room, in her favorite comfy chair, deeply engrossed in one of her favorite books, when there was a thump on the window. She went over to the window to find Errol with Ron's reply strapped to his leg. She took the letter and sat back down, not wanting to open it. However, she couldn't put this off forever – she'd have to speak to him eventually and it might as well be sooner than later.

_Hermione,_

_Yes, I want to meet you in Diagon Alley. We need to talk. And, I just want you to know beforehand, that I'm really, really sorry! I swear I didn't mean it! Please forgive me…_

_I'll meet you outside Florean Fortescues, OK? Hope to see you soon,_

_Ron_

Hermione folded the letter back up, and slumped her shoulders. _I have a strange feeling, this isn't going to be as easy as it may seem… _she thought to herself, gloomily. She picked up her book, and began to read again. She read late into the night, not having much of anything else to do. "Hermione? I think it's time for you to head off to bed, sweetheart… You've been reading for hours!" her mum said as she chuckled softly and sat down beside her daughter. Mrs. Granger draped her arm around Hermione and kissed her forehead. Hermione rested her head on her mums shoulder and began to fall asleep. Mrs. Granger, however, woke her up before she could truly fall asleep, and guided a very tired Hermione up the stairs to her room. "G'night mum…" she mumbled as she turned onto her side and drifted off into a well deserved, much needed sleep.

......................

"Alright Mum! I'm off! I'll be home in a bit! Bye Dad!" Hermione called out, as she left the house to go meet Ron. She made her way down to the heart of London and through the packed streets, to the Leaky Cauldron.

" 'Allo Miss!" the innkeeper said as she passed by, waving to him. Tom was the cheery old man with a toothy grin that owned the Pub. He was a short, balding old bloke, who made anyone smile when they passed through or stopped for a drink. Hermione went to the back of the Pub, opened the large oak door and took out her wand. She tapped the correct bricks above the garbage bin, and watched as an archway appeared before her. She stepped through the opening and into a very crowded cobblestone street that was lined with tiny shops. She was back in Diagon Alley. She was supposed to be meeting Ron at three 'o clock, but it was only a quarter to two. She wanted to do a bit of shopping before she met with him, hoping it would lighten her mood.

In and out of shops, arms weighed down with bags of different things and, unsurprisingly a couple of books, she began to make her way back to Florean Fortescues. It was nearly time to meet Ron, so she needed to hurry. She sat at one of the tables, sipping a chocolate-strawberry-banana milkshake, while skimming through one of her new books.

"Hermione?" She looked up, to see Ron staring down at her, a small smile gracing his lips. She closed her book, put it away and turned back to face him, crossing her arms over her chest, and draping one leg over the other. Ron took a seat across from her and stared blankly at the table. Hermione cleared her throat, catching his attention.

"Well?" she asked him quietly.

Ron's ears turned a slight pink, "Umm… uh… well, I don't know what to say! I don't want to go and say something stupid and hurt your feelings even more than I already have!" he said. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Look Hermione, I'm really sorry! I feel like such a prat! I couldn't believe I said that! And if it makes you feel any better, I'll have you know, I hexed myself when I got home… Fred and George caught me before I could do worse though…" he trailed off. Hermione watched him as he nervously played with the hem of his shirt.

"Why did you say it, Ron?" she asked him quietly. He looked up at her and their eyes locked.

"Because I was upset… I swear I didn't mean it! I don't know what I was thinking! Hermione, things have been really – awkward - at my house lately. Umm… see, my parents got in a fight… they're both still at the Burrow, but their not exactly talking to each other… So, we've all been a bit edgy… And, I was afraid I was losing you…" he told her, "As a friend that is" he added, his ears turning an even deeper shade of pink. Hermione was surprised. She didn't know that Mr. And Mrs. Weasley weren't talking to each other. She didn't know anything about it, but then again, Ron hadn't really mentioned anything. He never really was very open about things like that. Hermione stood, and Ron followed. He stared at her pleadingly, hoping that she wasn't leaving. Hermione looked into his eyes, and could see how sorry he was.

"It's alright," she muttered. Ron heaved an enormous sigh of relief. Hermione walked up to him, with open arms, and embraced him in a hug. And for once, Ron wasn't embarrassed to hug her back. He was just happy they were friends again…


End file.
